C.—2,

Southern Inspection District. Kaitangata No. 1, Kaitangata. Linton, Ohai. Kaitangata No. 2, Kaitangata., Black Diamond, Ohai. Wairaki, Ohai. Black Lion, Ohai. Birchwood, Ohai. Star, Ohai. (c) List of Mines required by Law to use Safety-lamps. The following is a list of the mines as at the 31st December, 1935, required by law to use safety lamps : — Northern Inspection District. Pukemiro, Pukemiro—Throughout South mine section. Rotowaro, Rotowaro —Throughout No. 1 and No. 3 Mines. Glen Afton, Glen Afton —Main headings. Renown, Waikokowai —Main headings. New Kamo, Kamo —All sections. West Coast Inspection District. Dobson, Dobson. Paparoa, Roa. Spark's, Rewanui. Wallsend, Brunnerton. State Mine (Liverpool No. 2), Rewanui. Millerton (Old Dip Section), Millerton. Moody Creek, Dunollie. Owen, Owen River. Southern Inspection District. Kaitangata No. 1, Kaitangata. Linton, Ohai. Kaitangata No. 2, Kaitangata. Black Diamond, Ohai. Wairaki, Ohai. Black Lion, Ohai. Birchwood, Ohai. Star, Ohai. (id) Dangerous Occurrences reported. (Regulation 82.) Full accounts of the twenty-three dangerous occurrences reported during 1935 are given in the reports of the District Inspectors (Annexure A). Twenty of them were reports of heating or actual fires underground. Six of the spontaneous heatings were in the Linton Mines and three in the Millerton Mine. (e) Electricity at Collieries. (Regulation 243.) The following is a summary of the annual returns, in accordance with Regulation 243 (c), regarding electrical apparatus at collieries : — Number of collieries at which electrical apparatus is installed .. 58 Number of continuous-current installations . . . . . . .. 9 Number of alternating-current installations .. .. .. . . 50 Number of collieries electrically lighted .. .. .. .. 44 Number of collieries using electrical ventilating-machines .. .. 46 Number of collieries using electrical pumping plants . . .. .. 33 Number of collieries using electrical haulage plants .. .. .. 46 Number of collieries using electrical screening plants .. .. .. 30 Number of collieries using electrical coal-cutting machines .. .. 3 Number of collieries using electrical miscellaneous plants .. .. 25 Number of collieries using electrical locomotives . . .. . . 1 Total horse-power employed from motors on surface .. .. .. 8,116 Total horse-power employed from motors below ground .. .. 3,325J (/) Prosecutions. Sixteen informations were laid by the District Inspectors during the year for breaches of the Coal-mines Act and Regulations ; one was withdrawn, and fifteen convictions were recorded. Of that number, seven were against mine-managers, two against acting mine-managers, one against an underviewer, and one against a fireman-deputy. Accounts of the individual prosecutions are given in the reports of the District Inspectors (Annexure A). SECTION V,— LEGISLATION AFFECTING COAL-MINES. In an endeavour to reduce the waste of a large proportion of the slack from brown coals, particularly from the mines in the Waikato District, a short amendment to the Coal-mines Act, 1925, was passed on 24th October, 1935. That amendment empowers the Minister of Mines to purchase and store slack from any coal-mine, and to manufacture from it briquettes, eggettes, or other products. There was no amendment to the Regulations under the Coal-mines Act during the year. I desire again to acknowledge the very efficient help and co-operation rendered by all the District Inspectors. I have, &c., ■ ■ George Duggan, Inspecting Engineer and Chief Inspector of Coal-mines,

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